Fallen
by ErinM
Summary: The Guardian: The news reaches A-School. *post-movie SPOILERS . This is written to be in the Tough Guys... 'verse. Or not. *shrugs*


**Title**: Fallen  
**Author**: Erin (erinm_)  
**Characters, Pairing**: Jack Skinner and Frank Larson (mention of Ben Randall, Helen Randall and Jake Fischer)  
**Rating**: PG  
**Summary**: The news reaches A-School.  
**Warning**: post-movie [SPOILERS]. *Written for Round 10 of **prompt_in_a_box** on LiveJournal. Prompt: "**Why?**"  
**Disclaimer**: The original characters belong to Touchstone and Beacon and Disney, as well as their respective actors. The OCs are mine.

It was about 16:30 when Captain Frank Larson breezed into the office. Chief Jack Skinner was standing at the counter, reading through a report and looked up as the door opened. Frank waved to him before Jack could salute and he simply nodded.

"Sir," Jack said, noting that Frank did not look happy. Frank stopped, opened his mouth to speak and closed it again. He hated getting bad news in general, but to get _very_ bad news... There was nothing he could do at this point, of course, but Frank still wished that something could be done.

"Come with me, Chief," he breathed, waving Jack along as he stepped past. Jack followed Frank into his office and turned to push the door shut as Frank sat down with a heavy sigh.

"Is everything all right, Sir?" Jack asked, wondering what could have put his superior in such a mood. Jack had only ever seen Frank like this a few times, and that was only when someone had-

"Sir?" Jack asked again, not sure he even wanted to know. Frank turned his head slightly, taking a moment to look out the window, but he didn't see past the glass. Taking a deep breath, he turned back to Jack with a frown.

"We lost Ben Randall."

Jack actually felt his breath catch. Sure, he hated everything about the man's instruction techniques, and couldn't stand his 'My way or my way'-attitude. Hell, they'd almost come to a fistfight in Ben's office one night.

But this was...

Ben Randall couldn't be dead; it was impossible! Ben was the best of the best – Jack didn't like to admit it, but he knew it was the truth. He looked up to Frank, waiting for the punchline, but the look on his commanding officer's face told Jack it was no joke.

Jack's eyes moved to his lap and a dozen questions ran through his mind, but none of them seemed worth asking. Frank sighed again and leaned against the desk. "Search is still in progress, but-" he trailed off, the idea of finishing the sentence making him want to heave.

Jack's blue eyes moved to the wall and he swallowed. "Fischer?" he asked a moment later. Frank looked up and nodded, but said nothing. Jack took another breath and nodded slowly. They all knew that a bond had formed between the two men during training and neither of them had been surprised when Fisher requested Kodiak.

"We can train them for every scenario," Frank said a moment later, staring at the desk. "-but you can never prepare them for something like this," he sighed and leaned back to wipe at his eyes.

Jack's right hand automatically moved to his left and he played with his wedding ring for a moment. It was always when they lost one of their own that he was reminded how lucky he was to be an instructor and not in the field.

Ben had no children, Jack knew, but he did have a wife. The one night they'd managed to have a semi-civil discussion, he'd gotten that much out of Randall. Jack couldn't begin to imagine what she was going through.

"He quit," Frank announced. Jack's head shot up and his eyes were wide. Frank forced a laugh and nodded. "His papers were signed and he was out." Frank shook his head and looked up to the ceiling.

"Why-" Jack started to ask. If Ben had quit, why was he in the water?

"Fisher went out alone," Frank explained. "They hit Bingo and he stayed behind."

"And Randall had to play hero," Jack kidded. Frank gave him a slight grin and the two men shared a moment of silent contemplation. After a few minutes, Frank pushed back from the desk and huffed.

"I need a drink." Jack smiled and nodded. Frank stood up and moved around his desk, putting a hand on Jack's arm. "Go home, Chief. Tell your wife you love her," he ordered.

"Yes, Sir," Jack nodded, letting another smile slip.

_This is written to be in the __Tough Guys...__ 'verse. Or not. *shrugs*_


End file.
